Rail-brace.



W. D. FORSYTH.

RAH. BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. 1915.

1,163,816. Patented Dec.14,1915.

, I 2 2 2 SHEETS$HEET 1.

WITNES ATTORNEY WITNESS! W. D. FORSYTH.

RAIL BRACE.

APPLICATION men MAY 6. 1915.

1 1 63,8 1 6, Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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m INVENTOR.

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COLUMB!A Puwoanim co wAsmna'mN. Izncv lUNllTED TATE% PATENT @FFTQE.

WILLIAM D. FORSYTI-I, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 HARRY E. SHELDON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 141, 1915.

Application filed May 6, 1915. Serial No. 26,308.

To all Whom it may concern Be it known that I. W'ILLIAM D. FonsYTH, a citizen of the United States. res ding at Youngstown. 'in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Braces, of wh ch the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for bracing railroad rails against rolling, lateral or longitudinal movements.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple, cheap. and efficient means for bracing railway rails against movement in any or all directions. These means are preferably made by bending suitably shaped blanks cut from metal plates, whereby they may be rapidly and cheaply formed and at the same time have a minimum danger of portions becoming loose.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is an end elevation of one form of my rail-brace applied to a main rail and a guard rail, which with the inte vening spacer are shown in c oss-section: Fi 2. a plan view of Fig. 1: Fig. 3. a plan view of a blank from which the main portion of the rail-brace shown in Figs. 1- and 2 is made: Fig. 4. a plan of the adiustable portion of the said rail-brace: Fig. 5. an elevation of a modified form of my rail-brace applied as a guard to one side of a rail, shown in cr sssection: Fig.6, a plan view of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, an elevation of a third form of my railbrace which serves as an anti-creeper also, the rail being shown in c oss-section: Fig. 8, a plan view of Fig. 7;'Fig. 9. an elevation showing a modification of Fig. 7, the rail being in cross-section; Fig. 10, a plan view of Fig. 9: and Fig. 11, a section on the line X1'XI. Fig. 10.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4. 1 is a plate of steel or other suitable metal lying transversely of the main rail 2 and the guard rail 3 and supporting them at about its central portion, the ends of the plate extend ng beyond the outer edges of the assembled rails. The latter are spaced apart the required distance by the spacer 4. composed of steel or other suitable material.

One end of the plate 1 has its sides bent up at right ang es thereto to form the vertical flan es 5. The blank from which the main section of my raiLbraee me} be formed is shown on Fig. 3. The plate 1 is stamped or cut so as to leave the ears 5 at opposite ed es at one end of the plate 1. These ears are integral with the plate from the outer end thereof, the shoulders 6 having a depth equal to the thickness of the edge of the railflange 7. From the outer end of the shoulders 5 the blank is cut to provide the inclined edges 8. the length of these edges eoualing the width of the inclined upper surface of the rail flange. and the inclination of these edges being such as to cause them to rest on the upper surface of the rail flange when the ears 5 have been bent up to p oduce the flanges 5. the ed e of t e rail fl nge then en ag ng the said shou ders 6. The outer ed es of the ears 5* are cut awa to form the notch 9, one wall thereof fo m n the shou de 10 which fi s ag inst the s de of the head of the ra l 2 when the ears are turned up to fo m the flanges 5. The ot er wa l 11 of the notches 9 s inclined to fit he under s de of the head 12 of the il 2. The ears 5a have the extensions 13 which are on the b ank paral el with the late al edges of the plate. but wh ch a e on the fin shed ra lbrace bent towa d each other from the flanges 5 so as to be at righ ngles w th the said edges of the plate. These extens ons are wide as the web 14 of the rail and fit t ghtlv aga nst the eb when the sho ders 6 engage the rail flan e 7. Prcfe ablv. I rivet the reinforc ng plate 14 to the outer face of the extensions to stiffen the flanges 5 and hold the extensions in place close against the web 14.

The left hand end of the plate 1 has the two upstand ng flanges 15 turned up from the lateral edges thereof. These flanges are parallel and stand at ri ht angles to the plate 1 and terminate a short distance from the outer flange 16 of the rail 3. The flanges 15 are formed from the lateral ears 15* left integral with the sides of the blank (Fig. 3.)

The adiustable member 17 of my railb ace is slidable on the plate 1 between the flanges 15. It comprises the bottom or base plate 1'. having the lateral flanges 5. the inclined edge 8, the notches 9', the shoulders 10'. the inclined walls 11'. the extensions 13 and the reinforcing plate 14', all constructed and arranged relatively to one another and to the rail 3 the same as the parts 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, i1, 13, and 14. are constructed and er ranged relatively to the rail 2, so that the inner end of the member 17 will fit the flange 16, the web 18, and the head 19 of the rail 3 in the same manner that the main member fits the flange 7, the web 14:, and the head 12 of the rail 2.

The flanges 15 have the opposite slots 20 to receive the adjusting wedge 21 which engages the outer ends of the said slots 20 and the inner ends of the slots 21* in the flanges 5. The narrow end of the wed e. which is a metal plate with its inner edge beveled, is p o ided with a number of staggered holes 93. in cne of wh ch the pin 24 is passed. Th s pin isoassed though the hole nearest to the outer face of the flange 15 and is in engagement with the said surface to prevent the wedge from moving in a direction to loosen the member 17 with respect to the rails 2 and 3.

The right hand end of the rail-brace is secured to the tie 25 by the bolts or spikes 26 passed through the openings 27 in the plate 1 and into the tie. The member 17 is provided with the slots 28 parallel with the adjusting movement of the member. "Bolts or spikes 29 are passed through the holes 30 in the plate 1 and the two end slots 28 and into the tie 25. Bolts 31 extend up through the holes 32 in the plate 1 and through the inner slots 28. The nuts 33 on the bolts 31 clamp the two members of the rail-brace together and assist the wedge 21. By loosening the bolts 26 and the nuts 33, the wedge 21 may be driven in from time to time to take up any slackness there may be, after which thebolts 26 and the nuts 33 will be tightened and the pin 24 inserted in the nearest hole 23to the adjacent flange 15.

In Figs. 5 and 6, where I show my invent'ion used as a brace for one rail only, I pro vide thebase plate 1 which has at its right hand end the same appurtenances as the right hand end of the rail-brace shown in Figs. 1 to 4. I have therefore given these appurtenances the same reference numerals as are used on Figs. 1 to 4 for similar parts. The rail 2 in Figs. 5 and 6 maybe any rail, particularly one on a curve in the railway. The brace may he secured to the tie by the usual-spikes 34 at one or both sides of the rail in additionto the bolts 26.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I show the base plate 1 lying on the tie 25 beneath the rail 2* and extending beyond both rail flanges 7 The plate has atone side of the rail the upstanding flange 5 and at the other side of the rail another upstanding flange 5*. Both flanges have their inner ends in contact with the head, web, and adjacent flange of the rail. The flanges areon oppos'iteedges of the base plate-so that they are arranged diagonally with respect to :the rail and the "base plate. Oneend of 2the plate 1 is secured tothe tie 25 by the bolt 26* serving also as ;.a pivot for adjusting the rail-brace. The :plate 1 has on the end opposite the one having the bolt 96 the curved slot 28* drawn from the bolt 26 as a center, 33 being a nut working on the bolt 31 in the plate 1 and the slot 28 for securing the plate 1 in any desired adjustment. Spikes may be driven in the holes 35 to help retain the adjustment. The flanges 5 not only brace the rail against rrlling and lateral movements but also against longitudinal movement. If the flanges both grip the rail tightly,any tendency of the rail to creep will be resisted by the clamping action of the flanges 5". Any looseness between the flanges and the rail can be taken up by loosening the nut 33*, rotating the plate 1 from left to right on the bolt 26, and tightening the nut 33. If any spikes have been. driven in the holes 35, they must be drawn before making the adjustment. It will be noted that I retain the nrtches 9, the shoulders 6, and the inclined edges 8 as in Figs. 1 to 6.

Referring now to Figs. 9 to 11 I provide the base plate 1 having the upstanding flanges 5 arranged at opposite sides of the rail 2 and on opposite edges of the plate, as the flanges 5 arearranged on Figs. 7 and 8. The flanges 5 may be shaped like the flanges 5 but I have shown them shortened so that they do not reach the head and web of the rail, but as in the forms of invention shown on the preceding figures, I provide the flanges with the shoulders 6 and the inclined edges 8. Directly opposite each flange 5 I provide the plate 1 with a downwardly-turned flange 36 located a short dis tance from the adjacent side of the tie 25. A bolt 37 is passed through each flange 36 into the tie. It is seen that by screwing either or both bolts 37 farther into the tie, the plate 1 is caused to swing so as to cause the shoulders 6 to increase their bite or clamping action on the rail flanges. Thus, the last form of rail'brace described braces the rail against all rolling, transverse, and longitudinal movements, as is the case with all the other forms thereof.

I claim v 1. In a brace forrailway rails, a metal plate to support a rail, opposite flanges bent up from the lateral edges of the plate, and extensions on the flanges bent toward each othler andadapted' to engage the web of the rat. I

2. In a brace for railway rails, a metal other, and a plate secured to extensions for reinforcing the opposing ends of the extensions.

4. In a brace for railway rails, a metal plate having a rail seat between its ends, a pair of parallel flanges turned up from the sides of the plate at one side of the seat, a rail brace slidable between said flanges and adapted to engage and brace a rail on the seat and having upturned flanges between the first flanges, and a wedge in openings in the said flanges of the plate and slidable rail brace for moving the latter toward the rail seat.

5. In a brace for railway rails, a metal plate having a rail seat between its ends, a pair of parallel flanges turned up from the sides of the plate at one side of the seat, a rail brace slidable between flanges and adapted to engage and brace a rail on the seat, the slidable rail brace comprising a plate having its sides bent up into flanges, and the ends of the flanges adapted to engage and brace a rail on the seat, and means associated with the said flanges for adjusting the slidable rail brace toward the rail seat.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 23d day of April, A. D. 1915.

WILLIAM D. FORSYTH.

Witnesses:

F. N. BARBER, ELVA STANILK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

